Musharraf seeks permission to fly abroad for surgery

Former president moves top court for one-time exemption

ISLAMABAD:

Former president Pervez Musharraf has gone to the Supreme Court, seeking one-time permission to go abroad for medical treatment. The retired military general, who is on the no-fly list, has been hospitalised twice within the past 15 days.

On the federal government’s request the top court had on June 23, 2014 suspended the Sindh High Court’s order over the removal of Musharraf’s name from the Exit Control List. The matter is, however, still pending for a final order.



On Thursday, Musharraf filed an application in the apex court through his counsel Dr Farogh Naseem, stating he was suffering from a severe medical condition and should be allowed to fly abroad for surgery as soon as possible.

The former dictator has also promised he would return to the country, according to the two-page petition which is available with The Express Tribune.

Giving the background of his medical problem, the plea states a private medical board comprising top neurology and orthopaedic surgeons of Karachi had confirmed in a report on April 4, 2014 that one of Musharraf’s vertebrae was fractured. The specialists suggested the treatment for the fracture was unavailable in Pakistan and a surgery had to be performed either in Dubai, North America or Europe.

The application added Musharraf’s medical condition had deteriorated in the past two years. On February 11, he was admitted to PNS Shifa in Karachi after going through severe pain in the back.



On February 18, the former army chief again complained of pain in the lower back and numbness in the left leg. Dr Imtiaz Hashmi, a leading consultant and orthopaedic surgeon who has been treating Musharraf since 2011 when he was in Dubai, had advised complete bed rest.

After resting for about two days, Musharraf attended a private function on February 20 contrary to the medical advice but owing to a prior commitment, thereby deteriorating his condition. On February 21, his pain escalated further and he received medical treatment.

On February 24, Musharraf suffered excruciating pain in the lower back and complete numbness in the left leg, leaving him unable to walk. He was again shifted to PNS Shifa after he fell while going to the bathroom, the petition states.



After various tests, doctors have once again advised the former president an extreme surgery for the vertebra fracture to avoid serious complications. “This surgery has to be done as soon as possible,” the plea reads. “Unfortunately the medical facilities or technology to carry out the suggested surgery is not available in Pakistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th,  2016.